Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media day in Hoover, Ala. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media day in Hoover, Ala. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Photo: Butch Dill, Express-News

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Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel

Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel

Photo: Express-News

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 01: Luke Joeckel #76 of the Texas A&M Aggies reacts during a loss against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Cowboys Stadium on October 1, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel displays his trophy for the Outland Trophy Award after being named the nation's outstanding interior lineman at the Home Depot College Football Awards in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel displays his trophy for the Outland Trophy Award after being named the nation's outstanding interior lineman at the Home Depot College Football Awards in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.,

Texas A&M offensive linesman Luke Joeckel (76) provides run blocking during the first quarter of a college football game against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, in Tuscaloosa. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle )

Texas A&M offensive linesman Luke Joeckel (76) provides run blocking during the first quarter of a college football game against Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, in Tuscaloosa. (

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) gets a lift from Luke Joeckel (76) after running 18-yards for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) gets a lift from Luke Joeckel (76) after running 18-yards for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Nov.

Texas A&M University quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) jumps into offensive linesman Luke Joeckel's (76) arms after scoring his second touchdown of the second quarter of a NCAA football game against South Carolina State University, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, in College Station. ( Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle ) (Houston Chronicle)

Texas A&M University quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) jumps into offensive linesman Luke Joeckel's (76) arms after scoring his second touchdown of the second quarter of a NCAA football game against South

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) is lifted by offensive linesman Luke Joeckel (76) in celebration of a touchdown run during the second half of an NCAA football game against Southern Methodist at Ford Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, in Dallas. Texas A&M won the game 48-3.( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle ) (Houston Chronicle)

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) is lifted by offensive linesman Luke Joeckel (76) in celebration of a touchdown run during the second half of an NCAA football game against Southern Methodist at

INDIANAPOLIS — For some top draft prospects, the NFL Scouting Combine can be a source of anxiety. They're nervous knowing one misstep or botched drill could cost them draft spots and millions of dollars.

The fiercely competitive Texas A&M product is eager to show NFL teams he's the best offensive tackle in the draft and worthy of the No. 1 overall pick in April.

“I'm trying to do everything right to make sure that happens,” Joeckel said Thursday. “I know it's a competition between me and the other tackles, guys like (Central Michigan's Eric Fisher and Oklahoma's Lane Johnson). ... That's one of the fun parts about the combine — the competition aspect of it, going against some of the best athletes at your position in the country.”

Most experts believe the 6-foot-6, 306-pound Joeckel will emerge victorious.

“He's a big-time prospect, athletic, smart and a quick learner,” said Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak, himself an A&M alumnus. “He's a slam dunk at left tackle, the kind of guy everyone is looking for to play that position.”

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Without a clear-cut top-10 quarterback in the draft, it's possible Kansas City could use the No. 1 pick on Joeckel. Although Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the club is open to trading the pick, he also made it clear he likes the Outland Trophy winner.

“I tell you, he's a pretty good football player,” Reid said.

An Arlington native, Joeckel said it's “just crazy” to think he could be selected first overall.

“Starting (with) football in the second grade, you don't really think about that kind of stuff,” he said. “Just getting a chance to play in the NFL has been a dream come true.”

Asked if he'd like to play for the Chiefs, Joeckel said, “That'd be a cool place to go. I've been to Kansas City once before, and I loved the barbecue there.”

Kidding aside, Joeckel believes he's well prepared for the NFL after a season in the rugged Southeastern Conference.

“SEC defensive lines are the best in the country,” he said. “Going from the Big 12 to the SEC, you can see a difference. It's a great steppingstone to go to the NFL after playing against the top guys I played against.”

Joeckel also benefited from playing with Aggies right tackle Jake Matthews, a first-team All-SEC pick and the son of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, who starred as an offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans during a 20-year career that ended after the 2001 season.

Jake Matthews decided last month to stay with the Aggies rather than follow Joeckel's lead and declare for the draft as an underclassman.

“A lot of me being a great player is a credit to him and (vice versa),” Joeckel said. “We compete every single day in the weight room. We lift together, we run, we do all our drills against each other. ... He's almost been a brother. It just helps so much the way we compete.”

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NFL COMBINE

Who: 333 prospects scheduled to participate

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

Saturday: Tight ends, offensive linemen, kickers and punters

Sunday: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers

Monday: Defensive linemen, linebackers

Tuesday: Defensive backs

Titans coach Mike Munchak can relate. He earned a spot in the Hall of Fame after playing alongside Matthews with the Oilers from 1982-93.

“Those guys helped each other similar to how Bruce and I did all those years of watching each other and competing,” Munchak said. “They're very competitive and it's helped their developments.”